


Breathe

by Kyoukalay



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Aang is not an asshole in this one, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fluff, Just a fluffy zutara, Might add more tags later, No big AU ideas, Romance, Zuko thinks a lot, Zutara, multi chapter fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-24
Updated: 2020-05-27
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:14:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24357904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kyoukalay/pseuds/Kyoukalay
Summary: Zuko convinced Katara to come to the fire nation after they saved the world. After everything that happened, they could really use each other for comfort.
Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 36





	1. Her

''Zuko!''

The firelord looked up from his documents and watched the girl in blue approach him at a quick pace. It had only been a few months since his coronation and he was a little overwhelmed with work at the moment. To be perfectly honest, the last thing he needed was an overly happy master waterbender by his side chatting his ears off how she had found some new thing that surprised her in the fire nation. Ever since Aang had defeated Ozai, he and Katara had defeated Azula and they had freed the world from the fire nation's grip, the sapphire eyed waterbender had grown unexpectedly close to him.

''Miss Katara, how might I be of service.'' he said dryly.

''Oh please, cut the tease Zuko, I got some real gossip for you today!''

She casually sat down next to him on the couch and started telling her ''amazing'' tale of wonders. He had to suppress a small smile when her ocean eyes lit up his normally golden and red room. After his grand speech together with Aang at the end of the war, who had become one of his best friends, the group retreated to Ba Sing Se for a while to reopen the Jasmine Dragon and get some well deserved rest. At first, he felt conflicted about leaving the fire nation right after his claim to the throne, but his uncle quickly reminded him that he needed to re-energize after his long banishment. The calming scent of tea, the hours of squabbling with the gaang and the hundreds of rounds of Pai Sho really helped him.

He was happy he was able to get along with Mai after everything. He had felt so bad after leaving her on the boiling rock before, he was sure she would hate his guts for life. Thankfully, she had been very forgiving. She wanted to get back together...but something had changed inside of the raven haired fireprince. After everything they had been through together, he could no longer ignore a surging feeling in his heart which was directed to someone else. Someone who had been talking to him for the past 10 minutes about some crazy fire cracker vendor who burned his own merchandise. He suddenly realised he had been barely listening.

Mai was hurt at first, but found she was able to move on faster than she had expected. After a few weeks, she had openly started admitting that she didn't understand boys anyway and how much she missed Ty-lee. Zuko always knew the two were close, but he never really imagined Mai loving anything or anyone else besides her knives. Even if she claimed she had loved him on a few occasions, and he was sure she did to some capacity, her openly saying she missed Ty-lee told him so much more.

Then there was something else that caught his attention during their time in uncle's teashop. Something that made him realise a few things. Aang had taken a moment on one beautiful evening to take Katara outside to the balcony. Zuko distinctly remembered the evening, since Sokka so desperately tried to ''paint down the moment'' so it could be ''captured forever''. After they returned, he could see Aang was upset. He tried his best to smile and participate the rest of the evening, but you could tell his heart wasn't in it.

It wasn't until later, when the moon had reached its highest point in the sky, when Zuko came across Katara outside next to a small pond, when he found out what exactly had happened. She immediately opened up to him when he asked her what was wrong. She told him about Aang's confession, about her doubt and worries, about the guilt that weighed heavily on her heart and about the rejection. It was at that moment that Zuko knew. He had fallen in love with Katara. Even with everything going on, even with the world against her, with the avatar confessing his feelings to her she had been aware of and careful of for almost a year, with everyone judging against her, she still listened to her heart.

Her heart, which told her she wasn't the right girl for the avatar. Her heart, which told her Aang would find the one for him someplace else. Her heart...which he desperately wanted to play a role in. He had tried to comfort her. Tried to tell her she made the right decision. That the guilt she felt was valid and she had every reason to care about Aang feeling hurt. She loved Aang. As a close friend, as a sister even, but not as a lover. She cried when he told her that. Big, beautiful tears shined in the light of the moon. How badly he had wanted to pull her close. But he couldn't. He could never take advantage of such a frail heart.

It was then when he surprised himself. He asked her to come to the fire nation with him to help him rebuild everything. To advise him with her worldly wisdom. To aid him as a friend. He told her that he thought it might be good for her. To help create a kind world. A world which reflected her. She was surprised at first, shocked even. She was planning on going back to the south pole with her family. She needed some time to think it all over. To make her decision at a later date. He was fine with her answering no. He would understand. He knew he would be able to get over her after some time. Even if it took years, he would try. He didn't want to selfishly impose on her afterall. He would never.

Although, when she told him she did want to come with him to the fire nation, he really had to hold himself back from not jumping out of the window. She promised him she would do it for a couple of months. She of course first wanted to visit her gran gran back in the south pole and tell her everything that had happened. He understood that. She had even asked him to come along, but he knew he couldn't hold off the restart of the fire nation. After a month or so, she returned together with the entire crew. Sokka and Suki had made a pitstop in Kyoshi island, Toph had taken the month to do some touring through the earth kingdom and put an end to most rebel gangs and Aang had been popping in and out everywhere he could with Appa and Momo.

Aang was still an important player to rebuilding the world and Zuko needed him around as much as anyone else. He was happy to see them return with new tales and rekindled friendship. One day, Zuko knew he was going to have to confess to Katara. One day, Zuko knew he was going to have a conversation with Aang about it all. But today was not that day. Katara had been spending almost all of her time in the palace with him, almost like she really liked being here. He loved spending his time together with her like this. Just reading over some serious political documents, while she was rambling about her new favorite thing in the fire nation.

He realised once more that he had not been listening. He had been enthralled by her sweet smile, her beautiful plush lips, pink cheeks and azure blue eyes. Her voice could lull him to sleep. Maybe he should try to focus on her words though?

''So that's why the guy ran to that creek and punched that armadillo bear!'' she laughed.

He could feel his lips curl into a smile.

''No kidding.'' he said softly.

''Yes! It really was something.'' she sighed. ''Now, enough about my day, how was yours, firelord?''

''Nothing too interesting unfortunately. Had some meetings with the generals, signed some papers. You know...the usual.''

His focus shifted back to the documents in front of him.

''Can I help with anything?''

She leaned forward over his shoulder and grabbed a random piece of paper from the table. Zuko froze on the spot. Her brown curls danced gently down his shoulder. The aroma of the salty ocean, vanilla and the vague left over from a smoldering fire filled his nostrils. She was close. She usually didn't get this close. It took him everything in his power to not flinch or bury his nose into the crook of her neck. She moved back and eyed the document with interest.

''Border disputes. That seems doable.''

''You sure?'' his voice cracked a little.

He quickly cleared his throat and adjusted his collar.

''It's been a problem all over the nation. Especially with the colonies. The earth kingdom wishes to reclaim them.''

He could only hope his heated cheeks didn't reach her eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My first fanfic for the Atla fandom! I have always been a fan of Zutara and have been wanting to write a fic for it. I'm not completely sure how often I will update this one, but I'm excited to continue this little story!
> 
> English is my second language so I apologize for all the mistakes! Don't hesitate to point them out so I can correct them.


	2. Warmth

Another afternoon full of emergency meetings and calming down angry riots passed and Zuko had just about enough of it all. He needed a break. Just a small one. He slided against the wall and tried to move about as secretly and silently as possible. During his time in the earth kingdom, prince Zuko had learned more than a few skills to stay sneaky. To be honest, Zuko had always been able to stay silent after his rebuke against his father. Something about speaking up had become frightening to him for the longest time.

He thought back to his moment with Ozai in the bunker on the day of the eclipse. That fateful day, where everything changed for him, his father and the world. The day he changed sides. He had finally been able to speak up to the horrible monster that defiled his face. The man who still had to guts to call himself his father. His heart had leapt to his throat the moment he entered the room. The strange feeling of the lack of fire in his soul made him woozy and a little disoriented. It was like he was a completely different person. Someone he wasn't supposed to be. The one reassuring thing about it, was that his father was utterly powerless.

When the so called firelord at the time called off the guards, Zuko had to stop himself from shaking. That was it. The moment he had dreamed of. Where he would be able to truly say what he had held in his heart all those years. He was finally able to break free from the abuser. Finally able to let go. That was...until he mentioned his mother. Oh how badly he wanted to press his swords against the evil man's throat. But he couldn't. Not until he spilled his secrets. It had all been pointless. He regained his firebending not long after and shot a bolt of lightning at his own son with the intent to kill.

He thanked the spirits that his uncle had been in his life. Not just for that moment, but for every other. The true father he needed. The man who taught him how to redirect lighting. It had taken Zuko some time to realise why being able to redirect lighting fit him so perfectly. The power of nature's deadliest weapon, didn't belong in the hands of the abused. To be able to redirect it however, was something that only the truly powerful could do. The people who survived.

Zuko pinched the bridge of his brow in an attempt to calm his mind. It had been days since he was able to properly clear it. It had also been days since he had seen a certain waterbender. Maybe it correlated. Maybe it didn't. Thoughts of her flooded his mind. About the way they met, about their fight in the southern water tribe, about the times she defeated him, healed him, fought with him and cared for him. He was finally able to get to the place he had been searching for in his attempt to sneak out.

His mother's garden. It had always been his favorite place in the palace. A true place of peace. Where they would sit together and feed the turtle ducks. When he could still somewhat get along with his sister. His father never set foot in the garden after she disappeared. But that was probably a good thing. When Zuko returned to the palace as prince, he immediately ordered for the garden to be restored. He was happy to see the results now that he reigned as firelord.

He sat down next to the pond in between a few bushes in the attempt to relax. He got into a meditative position and tried again to clear his mind. A soft giggle from somewhere close by immediately broke his concentration. He looked around to see where it was coming from, but found nothing. He sighed, got back in position and tried again. The giggle returned.

''Who's there?'' the firelord said in a calm voice.

''Zuko?''

Zuko froze in place. That sweet feminine voice was one he would recognise anywhere. The bushes rustled to his side and low and behold, a beautiful waterbender passed through.

''Hey! What are you doing here?'' she asked innocently.

''What am I doing here? This is the private royal garden. I think I should be asking you that question.'' he snorted.

Katara's cheeks flushed a little at the revelation.

''Oh gosh I'm so sorry! I had no idea I was not supposed to come here. You should really put up a sign you know! Some commoner could just walk right in here.''

The little pout on her face tugged fondly at his heart.

''Duly noted. So what were you giggling about?''

''I wasn't..'' she started, aware that he was once again teasing her relentlessly. ''Fine, I was playing with the turtle ducks.''

She huffed down beside him on the grass and started drawing circles through the blades.

''Huh. They usually aren't too keen on humans. What did you do?''

''Well I guess they've just never met a decent one.'' Katara said with a wink.

Zuko swore he could see the explosion that erupted in his head when she did that, but on the outside the only thing he did was sigh.

''What's wrong? Did I say something wrong?'' she asked, her bubbly expression suddenly turning solemn.

''It's just…'' he started, unsure how to continue.

''Zuko...you know you can tell me right?''

She placed one of her delicate hands on top of his. Her smile was warm and sincere. It was just like Katara to care so much so quickly.

''My mother was probably the only decent person in this palace.'' he sighed.

''What about you? And your uncle?''

''The only one who hasn't made any mistakes.'' he continued.

''Oh Zuko, that's not…''

''Katara, I won't lie to myself that I haven't made any mistakes. I have and that's okay. I have learned to live with the version of me in the past. I also...don't want to lie to you.''

''You don't?''

''No…''

He turned his hand around and wrapped his fingers around hers.

''You're special to me Katara.''

He could swear her pupils dilated a little when he said that.

''Thanks Zuko. That means a lot coming from you. Tell me more about your mother.''

His stiff expression relaxed, and a warm smile matched hers. He told her about his childhood. About his days spent playing next to the pond with his mother. When he thought everything was safe and amazing. That's how his mother made him feel. That's how Katara made him feel...but he didn't tell her that. She hung on his every word, nodding or laughing at some things. Giving a reassuring squeeze to his hand at others. It amazed him how he was so easily able to tell her everything. Even the feelings he had locked up for so long, splurged out like a desperate waterfall. That's what Katara did to him. That's why he loved her so.

After some time and many talks, Katara shivered slightly against his arm. She had been leaning against him for some time, without much thought behind it besides being comfortable together. Zuko then noticed how much time had passed. The sun had set and the sky had turned a purple hue. Without the heat of the sun, a cold breeze passed by, chilling the lady in his arms ever so slightly. He figured he should help her out. He slid his arm passed her back and placed his hand on her shoulder. He increased his body temperature ever so slightly to accommodate the waterbender.

Katara didn't flinch. She didn't move away. She just sighed and snuggled up next to him. It was a dream come true.


End file.
